Excellent Cadavers: The Mafia and the Death of the First Italian Republic by Ale

Description: Excellent Cadavers by Alexander Stille Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino set out to destroy the Mafia. In 1992, aware that the magistrates didnt have the support of the Italian government, the Mafia assassinated them. The public outcry demanded their work was completed, which led to the toppling of crucial political alliances. FORMAT Paperback LANGUAGE English CONDITION Brand New Publisher Description A true crime classic- the brutal account of the battle to destroy the modern-day mafiaExcellent Cadavers (a term used in Sicily to distinguish the assassination of prominent government officials from the hundreds of common criminals killed in the course of routine mafia business) tells of the remarkable investigation spearheaded by Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino, the two Sicilian prosecutors who in the 1980s took the war against the Mafia further than anyone had ever dared.In 1992, aware that the two magistrates were without the complete support of the Italian government, the Mafia assassinated them. In death they were hailed as national heroes; the massive public outcry demanded their investigations be completed. The outcome- the toppling of crucial alliances that had forged political rule in Italy since WWII and the criminal indictment of Italys most prominent leaders. Notes The title takes its name from the term used in Sicily for the assassination of prominent government officials. The book is an account of the investigation, headed by Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino, which in the 1980s took the war against the Mafia further than anything before. Knowing that the two prosecutors did not have the complete support of the government, the Mafia assassinated them in 1992. With the public outcry that followed their deaths came the fall of the Italian government. Author Biography Alexander Stilles first book, Benevolence and Betrayal- Five Italian Jewish Families Under Fascism, was chosen by the Time Literary Supplement as one of the best books of 1992, and received the Los Angeles Times Book Award for history. Since Excellent Cadavers he has written The Future of the Past and The Sack of Rome- How a Beautiful European Country with a Fabled History and a Storied Culture Was Taken Over by a Man Named Silvio Berlusconi. He has written for the Boston Globe, the New York Review of Books, the New York Times, the Toronto Globe & Mail and the New Yorker. He is also the San Paolo Professor of International Journalism at Columbia. Stille lives in New York. Review "A fascinating and horrifying book" -- Denis Mack Smith New York Times "As good as non-fiction books get: it is crammed with detail and analysis, but reads like a novel" -- Marc Babej Guardian "The very best on the modern mafia - brilliantly and thoughtfully telling a complex and messy tale... The characterisation and the twists of the plot have the deft touch of a novelist" -- Robert Fox Sunday Telegraph "Totally absorbing and distinctly chilling" -- Barry Unsworth Evening Standard, Books of the Year "Diligently researched and fluently written" -- Diego Gambetta Independent Promotional A true crime classic: the brutal account of the battle to destroy the modern-day mafia Kirkus US Review A deep and devastating account of the assassination of Italys top two anti-Mafia prosecutors. When magistrates Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino were murdered by the Sicilian Cosa Nostra in 1992, citizens of Palermo rioted, the stock market crashed, and top government officials (including Prime Minister Giulio Andreotti and Socialist leader Bettino Craxi) stepped down in disgrace. Falcone and Borsellino, the leading members of Palermos anti-Mafia pool of investigating prosecutors, had captivated the nation as architects of the so-called "maxi-trial" of 475 alleged mobsters in a stadium-size bunker built exclusively for the purpose. Palermos maxi-trial revealed to the world the feudalistic hierarchy of the Cosa Nostra, the growth of the heroin trade worldwide, and, most shockingly, the Italian governments outright collusion with Mafia families, especially with the ferocious Corleonese clan. Stille (Benevolence and Betrayal, 1992, not reviewed) brilliantly tells two parallel stories here. One is the story of Falcones and Borsellinos unprecedented rapport with Mafia "men of honor," from gunrunners to chieftains such as Tommaso Buscetta, who broke the code of omertd (silence) to talk directly to the incorruptible and indefatigable prosecutors. The other stoW is the account of how members of the Italian government at every level sought to undermine the prosecutors work: dismantling the anti-Mafia pool, sabotaging their careers, sending anonymous threatening letters, and even planting a bomb at Falcones beach house. (The author considers the widely reported rumor that Andreottis Christian Democratic government may have had a hand in the Mafias murder of Falcone and Borsellino, but he decides that "no concrete evidence" substantiates it.) Stille is especially adept at what he calls the "semiotics" of Cosa Nostra life, subjecting the merest gestures and signs to rigorous interpretation. A remarkable work, at once a rich analysis of Italian culture and politics, a real-life conspiracy-theory thriller, and a psychological portrait of two bona fide heroes. (Kirkus Reviews) Review Text A fascinating and horrifying book Review Quote A fascinating and horrifying book Details ISBN0099594919 Author Alexander Stille Year 1996 ISBN-10 0099594919 ISBN-13 9780099594918 Format Paperback Publication Date 1996-06-06 Imprint Vintage Place of Publication London Country of Publication United Kingdom DEWEY 364.106 Illustrations port. Media Book Short Title EXCELLENT CADAVERS Language English Residence US Pages 480 Publisher Vintage Publishing Subtitle The Mafia and the Death of the First Italian Republic UK Release Date 1996-06-06 AU Release Date 1996-06-06 NZ Release Date 1996-06-06 Alternative 9781446418963 Audience General We've got this At The Nile, if you're looking for it, we've got it. With fast shipping, low prices, friendly service and well over a million items - you're bound to find what you want, at a price you'll love! TheNile_Item_ID:906982;

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